The Black Sun Child
by Little Tsu
Summary: There's a legend within the Fire Nation about an ancient prophecy...That a child would be born once every five hundred years during the time of the solar eclipse...A bender with no weakness & now...during the hundred year war, that child...has been born. (No longer on perm Hiatus; started back up again)
1. Prologue

_Little Tsu: Alright, I've got a other stories on here that have yet to be completed, but some of them have the latest chapter slowly being worked on. I've been constantly changing little bits & pieces in the latest chapter of them though, trying to make it just right so that all of you can enjoy._

_However, right now I have yet another idea of a new story; one that I hope that everyone will find to be epic as there will be a lot of action & adventure in this one, though other genres as well._

_Now I would like everyone to sit back & enjoy yourself. Welcome to the first chapter of a whole new concept from my other stories._

**The Black Sun Child**

_**Prologue:**_

_~Flashback; five years ago~_

"Prince Zuko. There you are. I have been looking for you my nephew." A middle aged man in robes that were of different shades of red walked through the halls of a grand palace, whose walls beheld beautiful tapestries that showed a fire symbol upon it in the center in each one, as he closed the distance to a young boy in light weight armor of the same shades of red as the man's robes. Coming to a halt at the boy's side, he lifted a hand as he rested it upon his shoulder and smiled down at him. "Are you ready to continue your training?"

Said boy, whose name was Zuko - the prince of his proud nation -, brought his bright golden gaze towards the older man, only to smile and nod his head once, causing his black hair, which was up in a high ponytail to shift with his movement. "Of course Uncle. I'm always ready for more training. After all, I need to meet with my father's expectations so I have to work extra hard." The boy, who looked no more than twelve-years-old, already held a lot of responsibility; always needing to work hard and succeed in everything he does so that he would be ready to take his father's place someday as the next Fire Lord.

Iroh smiled kindly towards his nephew's enthusiasm. It always gave him such joy to see how much effort he put into his training everyday and yet still continued to retain his innocence unlike his younger sister, Azula. As they walked through the halls, heading for the training grounds outside, they were halted in their tracks by a sound of yelling along with bursts of flames coming from behind the Fire Lord's personal training room. Walking over to the large double doors, they both peeked inside to see what was going on. What they saw left Zuko in shock while Iroh only seemed to form a look of sympathy on his aging features.

A young man in his thirties took a powerful step forward before suddenly thrusting first his right fist and then his left, only to then whip around in a fierce kick, releasing three bursts of flames one after the other. The target?...A young girl that looked to be no more than eight-years-old. Managing to smoothly move her arms in a liquid motion that seemed almost like dancing, she used her hands to disperse the flames that hurtled towards her. As she did so though, a fourth took her by surprise and hit her directly in the chest as she cried out in pain, knocking her backwards and right off of the training arena. Straightening up his solid stance, the man known only as Ozai, the Fire Lord himself, narrowed his piercing golden depths towards the girl, who was slowly rising back up onto her feet. "Get up now! I will not tolerate a weak weapon for my nation!"

Panting softly as she rose back up onto her feet once more, she climbed back up into the arena and took herself another fighting stance. Her unusual dark violet eyes stood out against her cream colored skin and short tan shaded hair that halted just below her shoulders. Her form was so tiny and appeared as fragile as china, yet she was being tossed around like a rag doll; taking every beating she received, only to get back up again.

Her outfit was simple in design, yet very easy to move around in for techniques such as acrobatic movement; something that dealed with much flexibility. The attire consisted of brick red slippers that martial artists tended to wear, a lighter shade of red on her slightly loose fitting cotton pants that hugged around her hips and ankles, and the same shade of red as her slippers for her top which possessed kimono-like sleeves and would've shown her middrift if not for the black undershirt that was under it. However, this attire had singe marks all over it from the attacks she took on.

Unable to continue watching the training, Iroh quietly closed the doors back into place without being noticed by the two fighters. Sighing softly to himself, the man shook his head before motioning for his nephew to follow as he continued on his way towards the training field outside; his hands resting within his sleeves in front of him casually.

Blinking slightly in confusion of what had gone on in the training room, he glanced back at his uncle before quickly following after him. "Uncle...Who was that girl and...what did my father mean when he called her a weapon? I do not understand."

Upon arriving outside in the warm afternoon while the sun's rays shined down upon their forms, Iroh halted and tilted his head down so that his gaze was towards the grass. "...My nephew...That young child is Sheon. Her parents were Firebending soldiers that had parished in a battle against some Waterbenders. She still has her elder brother, but just as she is, he too is a Fire Nation soldier, though he is only fifteen himself."

"Uncle...That still doesn't explain to me towards why my father called her a weapon of our nation."

Iroh was silent when Zuko spoke of this. It was true. Just because she was being trained to fight as a soldier, did not make her a weapon automatically for if it did, then all of the soldiers would be classed as such and Ozai never once called them that. After another moment of silence, he finally parted his lips as he told his dear nephew. "That child...is very special nephew...She is the one thing that would still beable to fight and not be rendered at a disadvantage to the enemy nations during a solar eclipse."

"What? How is that possible Uncle? All Firebenders lose their bending powers during the time of a solar eclipse. So how is it that you say she wouldn't be affected?"

"Because Prince Zuko...She is the prophecy that a great legend foretold. The one who would someday be born during a solar eclipse. Sheon...is the black sun child."

_**To be continued.**_

_Little Tsu: Well, that's it for the start of it. What did everyone think? It's not much, but this is just a show of basically how Zuko had first met Sheon, though she never officially met him in this scene. However, the two did become friends, but their time together was short lived, though you might know of the reason why in the next chapter. It really all depends on you & what your reviews say. Either end the flashback here like I planned on it, or do a one year later & reveal the fate that changed young Sheon's life forever. Please review & thanks for reading.^^_


	2. Chapter 1

_Little Tsu: Ok so um...I was actually plannin' on havin' this story be on a perminant hiatus, but I had been watching Avatar lately & have started ta get my muse for the story back slowly. I'm really sorry for those that liked the beginnin' & that I had dropped it for so long, but even if it's a slow process, I will begin ta gradually continue it now._

_So, without further adue, the official first chapter of 'The Black Sun Child'._

_**Ch: 1**_

_~ Present Time ~_

Golden eyes slowly opened as they met with the ceiling above their bed; their arms resting over their chest and at his side. Slowly pushing himself up into a sitting position with his lean form propped up by a hand, his head was tilted down slightly as he gazed at his lap and bed sheets; his short, shaggy black hair falling slightly into his eyes in thought and brushing lightly across the scar on his face.

_ 'I haven't had a dream about that day in a long time...Why now?'_

Shaking his head a bit, he dragged himself out of the bed and rose up onto his feet. It was then that a knock sounded off at the door of his simple bedroom before opening up to reveal a middle aged man with slightly long grey hair and the grey of his beard. "Oh good, you're up now nephew. Please get cleaned up for the day and dressed. We have a big day ahead of ourselves in working at the Green Dragon." With that, Iroh turned around and headed out of his nephew's room.

Watching the door close behind his uncle, Zuko sighed softly and drifted his gaze out the window as he stared at the streets and buildings before him. He and his uncle had settled down in Ba Sing Se; thinking it would be best to

give up on their chase of the Avatar and actually start a new life. It was a simple one and despite everything, he was actually growing to like it here. They had even changed his name to 'Li' in order to make sure knowone knew it was him.

As he made his way down, seeing as they lived in an apartment type home that was directly above the Jasmine Dragon, their tea shop, there wasn't any worry about needing to rush or be late in opening up the quaint little restaurant. After all, the stairway that lead to the upstairs home portion of the building was just in the back room where they brewed the many different kinds of teas and even snacks to go along with it. His uncle always did have a knack for making the most delicious tea. This was practically his calling.

Upon seeing him come down, Iroh smiled cheerfully towards him and waved him over as he finished making a batch of jasmine tea for a young couple that had ordered a few moments ago. "Ah nephew. You're just in time. Take this tea to the young couple at table five. We're going to have yet another busy day."

Grabbing the tray that had the cups of tea and a plate of cookies, he walked over to the swinging door and pushed it open gently as he stepped out into the front where all the customers were seated and either enjoying the relaxing feel of the place while sipping tea or were waiting for their orders. Walking over to the young couple that he had the order of, he carefully set their drinks and snack down before bowing slightly in a respectful manner. "Here you go. Please enjoy." Turning around to head back into the back to get more orders out to the waiting customers, he halted suddenly as he caught something out of the corners of his sharp golden eyes. What he saw though, made those eyes of the almost seventeen-year-old widen in both shock and disbelief.

Stepping in through the entrance, causing the little bell to chime, was a young girl that looked no more than thirteen at the most despite her mere 4'6 height by the looks of things. Her attire was like that of a Fire Nation Priestess. Black kimono-like sleves were wrapped around the midsection of her under arms, halting at halfway over her palms - her left hand possessing a dark blue glove that only possessed a single hole for her middle finger, the other fingers completely bare, the top that went with the kimono sleeves was a deep onyx black that was sleeveless and showed off her slender middrift. Below the waist was a short dark red skirt that halted halfway down to her knees, though her skin there was barely noticable as white stockings covered her legs, halting about an inch or so below her skirt, and to complete her attire, she wore black slippers and her long tanned hair was done up in high side pigtails that was tied up in black jagged lace ribbon. A teal beaded necklace with a sapphire blue tear drop shaped bead hung loosely around her neck. Even with her hair up, the uniquely tan strands nearly fell to her slender waist and her light colored skin made the most striking thing about her stand out the most;...her deep amethyst eyes.

Quickly realizing he was staring, Zuko sharply brought his gaze away from the oblivious girl and hurried into the back where his uncle was. It wasn't that the girl was attractive that had caused him to react so strangely all of a sudden. It was _how_ the girl had looked. Three and a half years. It had been that long since he last saw the girl that had plagued his dreams last night so randomly. There was no way that that could possibly be her, right? They looked very similar, though the one in the front was definately older, but then again, that would be expected. However, there was just now way, right? That couldn't possibly be his old friend. After all, she...

"...She died on her first mission..."

"Nephew? What is wrong? You look as if you had just seen a ghost."

Oh, if only he knew how right those words sounded to him right now. It really did feel like he had just seen a ghost.

Shaking his head lightly, he lifted his gaze off the wooden floor and brought it to lock with Iroh's own slightly concerned ones. "Uncle, I...I don't know what I just saw actually. I saw a girl come in and-"

He was cut off right there as his uncle grinned mystieviously and patted his shoulder. "Well well. So my nephew has had his attention caught by a young girl and now he's all nervous. You always were a bit awkward around girl; especially the pretty young ones."

"That's not the point! Uncle, I feel like I've just seen someone that was supposed to have been dead for over three years now!"

Now that caught Iroh's attention as his grin vanished instantly and his eyes narrowed slightly in a serious manner. "Zuko, are you certain of this? I have a feeling I know of who you are refering to, but you understand the illogicalness of it all...That mission had taken the lives of nearly the entire group. Only a few soldiers returned, including the body of young Kazu..."

"I know Uncle, but...if you don't believe me, just see for yourself then."

Iroh did just that. He stepped around his nephew and pushed open the door that would lead him to the front of his shop. Drifting his gaze in a careful scan of all his customers, they soon halted and seemed to cause him to actually freeze up at the sight of the young girl Zuko had seen moments ago now sitting at a booth, waiting for her order to be taken. Fingers twitching faintly at this in a sudden urge to wish he was really seeing what he thought, he slowly began to walk over to the girl. It was then, however, that she spoke up, though hestitant and unsure. "...Sheon...?"

The instant the girl's body suddenly tensed up and she hesitantly turned her head to lock her surprised amethyst gaze with his own, he realized right then that it truly was her. Quickly covering the distance between them, Iroh soon found his arms wrapped around the shocked young teen and practically in tears almost as he held her closely. "It really is you...Sheon, you're alive..."

"U-Uncle Iroh...?"

That was all the proof he needed. It truly was her. She hadn't lost her life that day; she had simply been hiding, it seems like. Pulling back slightly from his hold on the girl, he gave her a glance over before smiling to her. "You have really grown Sheon...You look beautiful and so much like your mother..." Of course the two weren't really related, but when her parents had been killed, he had taken it upon himself to look after her and Kazu when he could during those four years...Before that tragic day struck...

The small teen seemed to blush faintly at the compliment on her appearance, but then fidgeted slightly in his grasp. "Uncle Iroh, I didn't know you were hiding out here...I had heard news about Prince Zuko's banishment over two years ago...I...I-Is he here too...?" She couldn't say it. Sheon couldn't say that she had actually been searching for them since she had heard about such news. It wasn't that she liked him or anything, but rather, she had admired the young prince. She had grown up and been trained as a 'weapon' of the Fire Nation and treated as such. Zuko had been the first friend she ever made and looked up to him. She had told herself that if Prince Zuko ever became the next Fire Lord, then she would actually be happy to have the title of 'weapon'...

The sight of the older man's smile was all the answer she needed. Becoming much more relaxed now, she smiled faintly in silent thanks before ordering herself some sweetened green tea. Watching Iroh head into the back, Sheon sighed softly to herself as she calmed back down. She was relieved to have finally found them, even if it was completely by accident this time.

Back in the kitchen, Iroh had told his nephew of the news and it was easy for him to see that young Zuko had not been able to contain his surprise at what he had been told and in fact, looked as if he was still trying to process what he had just been told. While his nephew seemed frozen in place, he went to the stove and began preparing the different flavors of tea for the rest of their customers, including Sheon's own. Once done, he placed them onto a tray and gave a tray that specifically had Sheon's to his nephew. "That one is to Sheon. I'm going to let you give it to her while I bring out everyone else's orders nephew." With a gentle, yet encouraging smile, Iroh went out front and began to distribute the tea to each customer; not getting a single one mixed up.

Snapping out of his shock, Zuko hesitantly followed after his uncle before almost freezing up again when he spotted the girl. Gulping slightly, he hesitantly walked over to her and finally set the green tea down in front of her at the booth she was seated at. It was while he was leaned over when he set it down, that he really did freeze up slightly, for the girl had lifted her gaze to lock with his own; both pairs of eyes widening in surprise of realization. It really was true. Up this close to the younger girl, he knew it was true now. Older, yes, but that face and those eyes were unmistakably Sheon's. It was only then though, that her amethyst eyes softened and a smile graced her lips; a smile that he thought he'd never see again as well as her still sweet tone, which was only loud enough for him to hear.

"Zuko...I've missed you."

_**To be continued.**_

_Little Tsu: Yes, I'm that evil. Hush. This was just before the act of when Zuko 'killed' Aang. I figured that Sheon would be at Zuko's side through all of his decisions since her loyalty lies with the prince, not his father, Ozai. HOWEVER, it'll be up ta the readers on if you want Sheon ta stay in the friend zone or if ta want her ta actually end up with Zuko...Or in a huge shockin' twist, she ends up with someone else entirely!/o/_

_Jkin', I kinda already know what I wanna do with her, but I still wanna know what you _

_Till next time!_


	3. Chapter 2

_Little Tsu: Ok, so I'm kinda jus' guessin' on what happened. I haven' seen the series in a while, but I'm rewatchin' it right now & also still remember bits of the series._  
_Also, I realized in chap 1 I made a mistake. I called the tea shop 'Green Dragon' when the shop is actually called 'Jasmine Dragon'...Oopsie...x.x"_

_Anyways, here's the next chap, which will probably fill you in a bit more towards their background._

_**Ch:2**_

It had been two days since they were reunited again. Zuko still sometimes had trouble believing that it was really her. It had been four long years since he saw her and sure he had only personally known her for a year before her 'tragic death', but...Sheon had been his first and, what felt like, his only friend back then.

Sighing softly to himself, Zuko glanced out his bedroom window. It was late out - probably close to midnight by now, but he couldn't sleep. There was too much on his mind. Slipping out of his bed, he quietly left his room so as not to disturb his uncle, whose room was right across from his own. Making his way downstairs, the moment he stepped out to the front of the shop, he spied Sheon sitting there at a booth with her delicate little hands resting loosely around a cup of tea as she gazed out the window she was seated by. Her tan hair was down out of their pigtails, pooling down her back and on the bench seat and she was also in a pair of red and black robes, though he could tell that she had a pair of baggy sleep pants on and a top too.

Walking slowly over to her, he soon cleared his throat softly, barely managed to restrain a smirk from forming onto his lips at the sight of the small girl jumping slightly in startlement. The moment she quickly brought her wide eyed gaze onto him, he closed the distance and took a seat on the other side of the booth from her. "Hey...Can't sleep either?"

"Uh-uh." Sheon shook her head and sighed softly before drifting her gaze down to her half filled tea cup. "I had a lot of things on my mind so...I couldn't really sleep..."

"You know, you kinda suck at lying Sheon." Chuckling faintly at the faint blush that covered her cheeks at being found out, he soon got serious as he gazed at her through narrowed golden depths. "...You had a nightmare, didn't you?" The sudden look that flash in her expressive amethyst eyes were all the answer he needed. During the year he got to personally know her, he had found out she tended to get often plagued by nightmares...Nightmares that usually left her jolting awake and screaming. He knew this because her room was just down the hall from his own since she was the royal family's personal 'weapon' and thus, needed to be kept close by. The screaming though, always had him snapping awake and ended with him rushing to check on her. The dreams were always the same...The death of her parents from when she was only five-years-old...

"Sheon, look at me..." When she hesitantly did once more, he sighed softly and shook his head. He knew this would most likely be a bad idea and it was probably even the cause of tonight's nightmare, but he had to know. "What...happened that day? What happened four years ago on that mission Sheon?"

Sheon tensed up slightly at the question & quickly glanced down sadly. He had hit the mark with this one. It had been what she dreamed this time. However, she knew that Zuko deserved to know what happened. After all, she had been his friend and she had just suddenly vanished; informed that she was dead. Sighing softly to herself, she hesitated for a moment before finally speaking. "Well, you know that the mission had been to take care of some earthbenders that had been causing our troops that were stationed in a village a lot of trouble...My group was sent to detain the benders and capture them...When we got there though..." Sheon's eyes softened sadly as she let the memories fill her mind while she told Zuko everything...She allowed herself to drown in it...

_~ Flashback 4yrs ago ~_

_ Fire and upturned earth was everywhere. The village was in flames and buildings collapsed. Bodies of both nations were scattered, either badly injured or dead. However, the fighting was still going on. The troops that had come with Sheon all rushed in to help the remaining firebenders while she and her older brother, Kazu remained behind for a moment longer as they scanned the area for any possible traps or hidden benders that would give the others a disadvantage. Once it was deamed clear, they both rushed in to join the fight._

_ Crying out as she leaped up and whirled around in a roundhouse kick, Sheon sent a stream of black flames rushing through the air and colliding into two of the earthbenders; effectively knocking them back before they could try to ambush her brother. "Kazu, be careful! You almost let yourself get attacked from your blind spot! You just turned sixteen brother! This isn' a good day to die, hehe!"_

_ Kazu casted his dark gold eyes towards his sister as he smirked after releasing a fireball at another bender's face. "Like you're one to talk little sister. This is your first mission. Make sure you don' slip up or anything!" Backing up a bit, he soon felt his lower back pressed up against his sister's back and head, causing him to smirk. "Hey Sheon. Why don' we try that move?"_

_ "Are you crazy? What if we lose control and hurt our soldiers?" Sheon glanced up and behind herself with an incredulous look on her features towards her brother as if he really was insane to even suggest this._

_ Chuckling lightly at her expression, Kazu shook his head lightly and grinned. "Well, I have a good feeling about today. So what d'ya say?"_

_ There was a few seconds of silence between them before a groan of defeat was uttered by the girl of the two. "Alright, fine. Lets get this over with, but if we mess up and hurt our own troops, I'm blamin' you **G****eneral**."_

_ Flinching faintly as she called him that, he grinned sheepishly and silently hoped that his gut feeling was actually right for a change. Last thing he needed was to get his tail set on fire by his nine-year-old baby sister after all. That would be rather embarrassing. "Alright, ready then Sheon?" Shifting his feet as he got into a lowered stance and his arms angled themselves, he casted a glanced to his sister as she mirrored his stance perfectly. In a moment's concentration as they synced up their chi together, their eyes shot open as they fluidly moved in a mirror of each other in almost like a dance as lightning sparked from their bodies; Sheon with black and Kazu with blue. It was then that the sparks began to blend together and whip around their forms before they finally unleashed their attack, which wasn't just a single stream of lightning, but an entire discharge as it was released in all directions, paralyzing anyone that were within it's range._

_ Both siblings straightened up as they glanced around themselves to survey the results of their attack. THe remaining earthbenders were collapsed on the ground sparking with electricity from their paralysis technique that they had been working on, but thankfully none of their own soldiers had been hit as they had been smart enough to scramble out of the way in time. After all, they didn't exactly wished to have had a repeat of last time. It was then that they motioned for their soldiers to start getting the paralyzed benders onto the ship & to not only restrain them, but also to gather up the wounded so that they could be tended to._

_ As they headed back towards the ship, none of them realized that they had missed one earthbender still that had actually escaped the attack. The bender narrowed his eyes as they passed by a small rocky pass that lead to the sea & slammed his fist into the side; creating a rockslide that hurtled down at high speeds towards Sheon, who brought up the rear._

_ Glancing up towards the sound, Sheon's eyes widened in fear at the sight above her and cried out as the attack was too much for her to dodge in time or blast away. As she prepared herself to get crushed by the rockslide, she was suddenly knocked out of the way and hit the ground. Groaning softly from being hit, she glanced over at the boulders from where she had just been standing, but the sight she saw caused her eyes to widen and fill with horror. Laying there under the boulders from just below his shoulders, all the way down, was none other than her older brother. Tears filled her eyes at this and she quickly crawled over to him as she tried desperately to dig him out. "K-Kazu...Kazu, you idiot. Don' you dare die on me. You promised you wouldn' ever leave me. Damn it...Why'd you have to go and push me outta the way?...Now you're hurt."_

_ Chuckling weakly, Kazu glanced up weakly towards his little sister and smiled. "I'm your big brother...It's what we do...We...We protect our little sisters...Heh...Though I guess Azula's an exeption...I-I feel bad for Prince Zuko." Clenching his eyes tightly shut in pain, he coughed roughly, causing blood to splatter onto the ground and on his mouth._

_ Panicking at the sight of this, Sheon finally managed to pull him out from under the rubble and whimpered softly. "D-Don' talk...Y-You're just wasting your energy Kazu...Th-This looks really bad...B-But you're gonna make it...You...You'll pull through...J-Just like you a-always do..."_

_ Kazu couldn't help but smile weakly at this. His little sister was trying so hard to be positive and say that he was gonna make it, but they both knew that wasn't true. "Sheon...Listen...Y-You and I both know...th-that that's not gonna happen this time...I...I want you to be strong, ok?...G-Get away from here and...and live your own life...I'll...always be watching over you Sheon...Please...live."_

_ Seeing the older boy's eyes slowly close, Sheon's tear filled eyes widened in a panic as she shakily rested her hands against his broken and bloody form, shaking him gently. "K-Kazu?...Kazu, wake up...Please...Kazu, this isn' funny anymore, wake up. Brother!" As she continued to get no response, dread filled her entire being as she realized she had just lost the last bit of family she had had left. With that single bit of info she had in her mind, she did the only thing she could do..._

_ She ran..._

_ It was after that day, that she was reported dead just like her brother was; killed in battle. However, because her body had never been recovered like Kazu's had been, some believed she might've still been alive out there; Ozai being one of them..._

_~ End Flashback ~_

"Anyways,...that's what happened...I didn't even think to turn back or hesitate...But somewhere in my mind, I thought that if you ever became the Fire Lord, then I'd have a reason to return to the capital...Cause then it'd be my only friend that was the lord instead of your evil tyrant of a father...No offense Prince Zuko."

Zuko just shook his head at that last part. "None taken...I know how ruthless my father can be as well as unforgiving. After all, he's the one who gave me this scar and then banished his own son." Sighing softly as the memories were still fresh in his mind even after three years, he then brought an almost sympathetic look towards Sheon. "I'm sorry that happened to you though Sheon. I had no idea of what actually happened on that mission, but it must've been very traumatic for you..."

Nodding her head lightly, Sheon offered him a faint smile. "It was, but...even though I still have nightmares about it, I push through and survive cause that's what my brother wanted. 'Sides..." With a smile still on her features, she turned her gaze back out the window and stared up at the star filled sky. "...I know he's still watchin' over me from the Spirit World..."

After that was said, silence filled between them, but for once, Zuko didn't feel that it was an uncomfortable silence, but rather an almost relaxing, comforting kind...And he was just fine with that...

_**To. Be. Continued.**_

_Little Tsu: Ok so, I'm sure everyone kinda wanted ta know what had happened ta Sheon & why Zuko had thought she was dead. Well, there's your reason. Hope this chapter wasn' too bad...x.x_


	4. Chapter 3

_Little Tsu: Ok, so this is the next update, buuut...Well, it was completed a while before I was able ta get it up. Reason bein'?_

_...I moved & had no net access. Whoopieee...=.="_

_Anyways, I used that time ta get a few updates on active stories typed up & also possibly a few one-shots or new multi chaps. In any case, here's the next chap of my ATLA story. Enjoy._

**Ch:3**

Things happen for a reason...So why did he feel like that his decision had been the wrong one?

The Avatar was dead. He was finally able to return home. This time without being tricked by his sister as a lie when he was actually being arrested that one time. Yet despite how happy a part of him was at the thought of finally returning home after three years,...another part of him was guilty and crushed at the fact that he had taken this path...Had chosen to take out the Avatar with his sister, Azula and in the process of it all,...turn his back on his uncle;...the very man that had stood by his side through his entire banishment.

...The man who,...as it slowly dawned on him the closer he got back to the Fire Nation Capital,...had been more of a father to him than his own.

Sighing softly to himself as he laid there on his back with his hands resting behind his head, he gazed up at the ceiling within his sleeping quarters on the ship. This was his last night before he would beable to sleep in his own bed once again. He would finally set foot on Fire Nation soil by mid morning, yet as he tried to get some rest, he found that he couldn't. Zuko had too much on his mind and his thoughts raced with what all had happened back in Ba Sing Se that night. Betraying his uncle and the trust of that Water Tribe girl, the sight of Azula striking down the Avatar in the end with her lightningbending while he had been within the Avatar State,...the sight of the overall chaos taking place as he had actually chosen his sister's side and his nation over the trust and love that his uncle had given him endlessly up till now.

A light knock at the metal door drew him out of his thoughts as Zuko slowly pushed himself up into a sitting position when the door slowly opened to reveal his visitor. The sight before him caused his molten gold eyes to soften faintly from their usually hardened or frustrated state. "Sheon..."

Standing there at the doorway while fidgeting slightly was in fact the very girl that he had found again after she went missing years ago. She was dressed in a simple dark red nightgown that showed her slender arms and halted at her knees. He almost thought that her nervousness was because he was currently without a shirt, thus merely in a pair of baggy black sleep pants, but he knew better than that. Zuko knew that her nervousness was due to being back on a Fire Nation ship and on course back to the very nation she had run away from...The nation who thought her to have been dead for four years now. As she finally brought her uneasy amethyst gaze to lock with his own, the older teen knew what she was silently asking and sighed softly to himself before shifting in the bed to make room for the smaller girl.

In an instant, Sheon had closed the distance between them and crawled into the bed with the young prince after she had closed the door behind her. Curling up onto her side, the young firebender revealed just how tiny she was in comparrison to Zuko as he too laid back down and wrapped an arm awkwardly around her waist so that they would both be comfortable and so Sheon would feel at least a tiny bit safer. With her head resting upon his chest and an arm resting along his front as well, she gently closed her eyes as she tried to allow herself to calm down and drift to sleep; the sound of Zuko's heartbeat and the warmth of his body helping a good bit. That is, till he spoke up anyways.

"Do you...think I made the right decision Sheon?"

"Huh?"

"I mean, do you think I made the right choice with all of this? I betrayed my uncle's trust. I allowed the Avatar to be killed and that caused any chance of this war ending well for the other nations to be crushed...All just so I could get back on my father's good side and beable to return home..."

Hearing the conflicted tone in his voice, Sheon lifted her head as she propped up the top half of her body up on the lower half of her right arm. Tilting her head down to glance at him, she noticed the confliction within his gaze and twisted onto his overall features as well. A small, worried frown marred her delicate features at this before lifting her free hand that had been resting on his chest and stomach and brushed her best friend's bangs out of his eyes gently with her fingertips. This action had caused Zuko to instinctively reach out in an instant with his own free hand and grasp onto her tiny wrist on reflex when she got too close to his scar. Noticing this, she sighed softly and gave him a weak little smile. "I can't really decide for you on whether it was the right path or not to take Prince Zuko...That's gonna have to be something you learn through this experience...But...in my opinion,...I think it was a bad path to choose."

"Then why?...Why did you come with me? Why did you take my side in all this rather than try to help Uncle or even attempt to protect the Avatar so he wouldn't be killed by Azula?" He was honestly curious. This had been one of the things that bothered Zuko and swam through his mind; making him unable to get any rest. The tiny fire brand of a girl within his bed confused him despite her being his closest friend. Her reasons behind her own choices had always confused him even as kids before she vanished. Despite how open and friendly she was, at the same time, she was closed off and almost a mystery.

Remaining silent for a moment as she was asked this, the small girl seemed actually hesitant in replying. Sighing softly to herself, Sheon finally sat up fully and turned her back to him as she turned her head to stare out of the circular window that revealed the open sea and the slightly cloudy night sky. At the feel of the bed shifting, she knew that Zuko had sat up himself and most likely held a look of confusion still, but also worry. After another moment of thick silence, Sheon finally turned her gaze up at him as she smiled sweetly. "I told you when we were little, didn't I? I'm loyal to _you_ Prince Zuko..."

As she said this, Zuko's mind seemed to slip off to the time she had said that to him. The day before she left on the mission that she never returned from...

_**{Flashback; 4yrs ago}**_

_"Stupid Azula! She's always ruining everything. It's not fair!" Flopping himself backwards, the young, nearly thirteen-year-old prince landed on his back in the garden that the Fire Nation Palace had. It was the area where he often spent feeding the turtle ducks with his mother or Azula spent playing with her two friends, Ty Lee and Mai. Luckily his irritating little sister wasn't around. Instead, she had embarrassed him yet again in front of their father, causing the Fire Lord to scold him once again. At the memory of not even an hour ago, he clenched his eyes tightly shut as he tried to calm himself and keep the frustrated tears at bay. It was times like this that he wished his mother was still here, but she had been gone for a while now._

_"You don' look too good. Something on your mind Prince Zuko?"_

_The sudden voice caused Zuko to jolt in startlement as his eyes shot open quickly and sat up just as fast as he glanced around. His startled gaze soon landed on a tiny girl that was a little more than three years his junior with just passed shoulder length tan hair that was up in a ponytail on the left side of her head and deep amethyst eyes that would put the gem itself to shame. Instead of yelling at this girl to go away though, he just calmed back down and sighed softly to himself as he turned his head away from her and brought his gaze towards the lush green grass around them. "What are you doing here Sheon?"_

_The nine-year-old shook her head lightly and walked over to the older boy's side before plopping herself down near him. "I came to find you. I mean, you usually only come here anymore when something's on your mind or you're upset or mad." Her gaze then became sympathetic towards his sudden silence as she took a guess on what was wrong. After all, it was usually one of the main reasons he came here. "...Azula did something to you again, didn' she?" The faint flinch was all she needed to see to know that she had hit the mark with this one. Sighing softly, Sheon shook her head before leaning forward and tilting her head to the side to try and get Zuko to look at her. "Hey, look at me, kay?"_

_Zuko seemed very hesitant on this, but did as he was requested as he slowly shifted his head a bit and brought his upset golden gaze to lock with her own sympathetic ones. It wasn't that he would just listen to anyone though and when he got those sort of looks, he would get angry and yell; hating that anyone would pity him. However, this girl was different. She didn't pity him; she was simply worried about him. The small girl before him was his only true friend._

_When she got his attention, she offered him a faint smile before reaching out and resting her hand over his own slightly larger one. "Don' let what the prissy princess does or says bother you Prince Zuko. I mean, who cares if she's a 'protigy'? Her personality stinks way worse than Uncle's feet after a very long day." At the comparrison that she used, she giggled softly when she saw that she got Zuko to finally crack a smile and laugh a bit. "But seriously though Prince. You have nothing to worry about, kay? Azula may be more skilled with her bending now, but you'll become better than her after more practice and you're the one that's next in line to becoming Fire Lord; not the Princess of Boars herself."_

_Chuckling a bit at this, Zuko sighed softly before giving a small smile for Sheon's sake. The girl before him was almost always busy with her own training and work, yet she still made time for him to spend with or cheer him up. It made him grateful that he had such a good friend living within the palace even though she was neither royalty nor a noble. However, as he thought about this, something got him curious. "Sheon, you're always helping me out even though you have your own problems...Why?...Why are you always trying to look out for me?"_

_Blinking slightly in surprise towards this, she soon smiled brightly up at him as her eyes gently closed in a cheerful manner. "Cause you're my friend, silly. I'll always be loyal to you Prince Zuko and be there no matter what. I don' care about Princess Azula or Fire Lord Ozai. You're the one I really follow and that's all there is to it...That's how it'll always be till the day I die..."_

_**{End Flashback}**_

Coming back out of his thoughts once more, Zuko brought his gaze back down at his friend, only to find that she had actually laid back down and was even fast asleep. Eyes softening at the sight of this, he lifted a hand and hesitantly reached out as she brushed a few strands of her mid thigh length hair, which was out of their usual pigtails, out of her delicate face. Just by looking at her, it was impossible to believe that she was their nation's weapon. She was such a kind and innocent looking girl, yet within that body held incredibly deadly skill as a fire and lightningbender; a special one whose bending was black due to being born on the day of the black sun.

Sighing softly to himself, Zuko carefully laid back down as well and turned over onto his side to face the soundly sleeping young teen as an arm draped itself over her tiny waist and pulled her in closely as he held her protectively against him. Feeling her stir slightly, but not awaken as she merely snuggled her face against his chest and murmered his name sleepily, he slowly relaxed completely as his eyes gently closed; allowing sleep to finally take him as well.

Whether his decision had been a bad one or not, he would let things take its course no matter where any of his future decisions led him. One thing he knew of for sure though no matter what choices he made from here on out...He knew that Sheon would be right there with him through it all...

**To Be Continued.**

_Little Tsu: Well, that's the end of that chapter. Hope it wasn' too bad, though I admit, that I liked the little flashback I added in this chapter. It was a cute, heartwarmin' moment between Zuko & Sheon from before she vanished & when they were kids still & close friends._

_Anyways, R&R people & I'll see ya in the next installment when I have time ta get ta it. ._


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